INTERPOL is the world’s largest international police organization, with 190 member countries. Our role is to enable police around the world to work together to make the world a safer place. Our high-tech infrastructure of technical and operational support helps meet the growing challenges of fighting crime in the 21st century.

This is where you will find the latest news and multimedia from INTERPOL. Read our news stories and speeches; see the Organization in action through videos and photo galleries; and download our fact sheets, brochures and annual reports.

Our global police communications channels and internationally recognized alert systems allow police around the world to share data instantly and securely. A 24-hour contact point and specialized teams provide targeted support to serious crime or disaster incidents.

Egypt drops premeditated murder charge from Abdel Latif Red Notice

Statement by INTERPOL General Secretariat headquarters, Lyon, France

On 13 June 2013, INTERPOL’s National Central Bureau (NCB) in Cairo asked that the Red Notice previously issued at its request for Sayed Abdel Latif on 1 October 2001 be changed to remove any charges relating to premeditated murder, destruction of property, and possession of firearms, ammunition and explosives without a permit.

The remaining offences listed on the current valid Red Notice for Mr Abdel Latif are for membership of an illegally-formed extremist organization and forging travel documents for the organization’s members.

Egypt’s original 2001 Red Notice request stated that Mr Abdel Latif had been convicted and sentenced, in absentia, for premeditated murder, destruction of property, possession of firearms, ammunition and explosives without a permit, membership of a terrorist group and forgery of documents.

Based on the above, a Red Notice for Mr Abdel Latif was issued by INTERPOL's General Secretariat on 1 October 2001 for a variety of offences, including premeditated murder.

As required by INTERPOL’s rules on maintaining information in its databases, on 29 January 2007 and again on 24 October 2011, INTERPOL’s NCB Cairo requested that the Red Notice for Mr Abdel Latif remain valid and active for the same charges as originally requested.

Therefore, any law enforcement authority consulting INTERPOL'S databases between 1 October 2001 and 13 June 2013 would have read and believed that Mr Abdel Latif was wanted for arrest by Egyptian authorities for a variety of terrorist-related offences, including premeditated murder.

Questions have recently been raised in relation to Mr Abdel Latif’s convictions as stated by Egyptian authorities in their original Red Notice application.

In following up on the matter with NCB Cairo, the NCB asked INTERPOL'S General Secretariat to remove the charge of premeditated murder and the other charges as outlined above.

INTERPOL immediately implemented NCB Cairo’s request and is advising all member countries accordingly.

All further enquiries on this case and on the underlying charges against Mr Abdel Latif should be directed to INTERPOL’s National Central Bureau in Cairo and to the Egyptian authorities.

Red Notices are one of the ways in which INTERPOL informs its 190 member countries that an arrest warrant has been issued for an individual by the competent authorities of a member country or by an international tribunal. It is not an international arrest warrant.

INTERPOL cannot insist that any member country arrest the subject of a Red Notice.